“Assassins” passes 2 million admissions amid history distortion row
Version 2: New coverage adds a higher cumulative admissions figure for Oct 3 reported a day later, a previously unreported 20-day run at the top of Korean film advance bookings, and a public call by Korean film industry groups for the criticism of the filmmakers to stop.
In short
The Korean film “Assassins”, about the 1974 shooting of first lady Yuk Young-soo, passed 2 million cumulative admissions on Oct 3, the 11th day after its Sept 23 release, distributor Hive Media Corp said. The milestone came as the film remained at the centre of a historical distortion controversy, with political circles including the People Power Party criticising scenes that imply the KCIA was behind the attack. Hive Media Corp cancelled film-related events, and Korean film industry groups urged an end to excessive criticism of the filmmakers.
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The film “Assassins” (암살자(들)) passed 2 million cumulative admissions on Oct 3, the 11th day after its Sept 23 release, distributor Hive Media Corp said, according to Kyunghyang Shinmun, Asia Economy, Hankook Ilbo and NoCut News. NoCut News, citing the Korean Film Council's integrated ticketing network, put the total at 2,000,101 as of 2:35 pm; Hankook Ilbo reported 1,890,413 the previous day and said the film is the ninth Korean release this year to reach 2 million. Seoul Economic Daily, also citing the council's network, reported 2,045,495 admissions for Oct 3 and said the film has led Korean film advance bookings for 20 consecutive days. Asia Economy put its advance booking rate at 16.9% as of 4 pm and Hankook Ilbo at 17.2% as of 5:36 pm, both second to “Theatrical Chikawa: Secret of Mermaid Island”. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
Directed by Hur Jin-ho, the film centres on the Aug 15, 1974 incident in which first lady Yuk Young-soo was hit by a bullet as Moon Se-gwang, a Korean resident of Japan, tried to assassinate President Park Chung-hee, Asia Economy, Hankook Ilbo and Seoul Economic Daily reported. Hankook Ilbo said the film adds fictional imagination in following a police officer (Yoo Hae-jin), a newspaper city editor (Park Hae-il) and a rookie reporter (Lee Min-ho) as they question the government's investigation. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
The dispute centres on scenes suggesting the KCIA may have been behind the attack, which political circles including the People Power Party said distorted history, according to the outlets. NoCut News also said Park Geun-hye and Park Ji-man, children of Park Chung-hee, and some far-right groups joined the claim of historical distortion, and that production and cast members faced severe criticism. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
Kyunghyang Shinmun reported the fallout included actors skipping stage greetings, review videos being made private, a boycott of a fast food chain advertised by Yoo Hae-jin, comments being blocked on advertising videos, and a conservative group saying it had filed a report for a protest rally outside Yoo's home. Hive Media Corp cancelled film-related events including the Busan International Film Festival outdoor stage greeting, Asia Economy and Seoul Economic Daily reported, and NoCut News said the festival opening ceremony attendance and outdoor stage greeting were cancelled for safety. Seoul Economic Daily reported that the Korean Film Producers Association and the Korean Cinematographers Guild (CGK) urged an end to excessive criticism of the filmmakers. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 ]
Released on Sept 23, the day before the Chuseok holiday, the film topped the daily box office for five straight days, Kyunghyang Shinmun and Hankook Ilbo reported. Asia Economy said it drew 1,407,000 admissions during the Sept 24-27 holiday, and Kyunghyang Shinmun reported it lost the daily No 1 spot to “Tazza: Song of Beelzebub” on Sept 28 and to “Theatrical Chikawa: Secret of Mermaid Island” on Sept 30. Hankook Ilbo said it drew about 320,000 admissions over the five weekdays from Sept 28 to Oct 2, an average of 64,800 a day, while Kyunghyang Shinmun said it has been back at No 1 since the start of October. Hankook Ilbo said this weekend's admissions will indicate whether the film's run rebounds. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
NoCut News said the film had topped the overall advance booking rate before its release, the first Korean film to do so in 64 days, with pre-release reservations above 200,000. [ 4 ]
Why it matters
The 2 million admissions show a politically charged historical drama can still draw large audiences in Korea while a dispute over how it depicts a 1974 assassination attempt continues. The fallout described by the outlets — a boycott, closed comment sections, criticism aimed at actors and cancelled festival events — indicates the row has spread beyond the film itself, and Korean film industry groups have publicly called for the criticism to stop. Hankook Ilbo said this weekend's admissions will indicate whether the film's run rebounds.
Key facts
- “Assassins” passed 2 million cumulative admissions on Oct 3, the 11th day after its release, according to distributor Hive Media Corp. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- The film was released on Sept 23, the day before the Chuseok holiday. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- It deals with the Aug 15, 1974 shooting of first lady Yuk Young-soo during an attempt by Moon Se-gwang, a Korean resident of Japan, to assassinate President Park Chung-hee. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- Political circles including the People Power Party accused the film of distorting history over scenes suggesting the KCIA may have been behind the attack. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- The film gave up the daily box office No 1 spot to “Tazza: Song of Beelzebub” on Sept 28. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Hive Media Corp cancelled film-related events, including a Busan International Film Festival outdoor stage greeting. [ 2 , 4 , 5 ]
- Seoul Economic Daily reported that Korean film industry groups urged an end to excessive criticism of the filmmakers. [ 5 ]
- Kyunghyang Shinmun and Hankook Ilbo reported it is the ninth film released in Korea this year to reach 2 million admissions. [ 1 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- “Assassins” passed 2 million cumulative admissions on Oct 3, the 11th day after its release, distributor Hive Media Corp said. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- The film was released on Sept 23, the day before the Chuseok holiday. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- It deals with the Aug 15, 1974 shooting of first lady Yuk Young-soo during an attempt by Moon Se-gwang, a Korean resident of Japan, to assassinate President Park Chung-hee. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- The film was directed by Hur Jin-ho and stars Yoo Hae-jin, Park Hae-il and Lee Min-ho. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- Political circles including the People Power Party accused the film of distorting history over scenes suggesting the KCIA may have been behind the attack. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- The film gave up the daily box office No 1 spot to “Tazza: Song of Beelzebub” on Sept 28. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Hive Media Corp cancelled film-related events, including the Busan International Film Festival outdoor stage greeting. [ 2 , 4 , 5 ]
- Kyunghyang Shinmun and Hankook Ilbo reported it is the ninth film released in Korea this year to reach 2 million admissions. [ 1 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- The exact cumulative admissions figure for Oct 3. NoCut News, citing the Korean Film Council's integrated ticketing network, says 2,000,101 as of 2:35 pm, while Seoul Economic Daily, also citing the council's network, reports 2,045,495 for the same day. The two figures disagree.
- Whether Park Geun-hye and Park Ji-man personally joined the criticism of the film. Only NoCut News names them among those making the historical distortion claim; the other documents refer only to political circles and far-right groups.
- Whether the historical distortion controversy helped or hurt ticket sales. Hankook Ilbo's headline raises the question, but no document states a conclusion; the documents only give admission figures and advance booking rates.
- Exactly when the film regained the daily box office No 1 spot. Kyunghyang Shinmun says it has held the top spot again from this month, while Hankook Ilbo says it gave up the daily top spot to “Tazza: Song of Beelzebub” over the weekdays of Sept 28 to Oct 2.
- Which conservative group reported a planned protest rally outside actor Yoo Hae-jin's home. Kyunghyang Shinmun refers to “a conservative group” without naming it, and no other document mentions the rally.
- Any response from the director, cast or production company to the criticism. The documents report the accusations and the cancellations but contain no statement from the filmmakers or actors.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- “Assassins” is released, the day before the Chuseok holiday. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Over the Chuseok holiday the film draws 1,407,000 admissions and tops the box office. [ 2 ]
- The film gives up the daily No 1 spot to “Tazza: Song of Beelzebub”, as the historical distortion controversy grows. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The film gives up the daily No 1 spot to the animation “Theatrical Chikawa: Secret of Mermaid Island”. [ 1 ]
- Cumulative admissions stand at 1,890,413, according to Hankook Ilbo. [ 3 ]
- Cumulative admissions pass 2 million on the Korean Film Council's ticketing network, which NoCut News cites at 2,000,101. [ 3 , 4 ]
- Advance booking rate is 16.9%, second behind “Theatrical Chikawa: Secret of Mermaid Island” at 25.7%, Asia Economy reports. [ 2 ]
- Advance booking rate is 17.2%, second behind the animation at 25.0%, according to Hankook Ilbo. [ 3 ]
- Seoul Economic Daily reports cumulative admissions of 2,045,495 for Oct 3 and says the film has led Korean film advance bookings for 20 consecutive days. [ 5 ]